Speeches

Feb122007

``This Is America. When Ordering, Please Speak English.'' This sign is located in the window of Geno's Restaurant, tourist landmark for the famous Philly cheese steak.

Philadelphia's Commission on Human Relations has been ordering its owner, Joe Vento, to take down the sign, however. They have even suggested that he hire Spanish-speaking employees to help communicate. But Joe is not giving in to the bureaucrats. Vento says that Geno's will serve and his staff will help out customers who don't speak English, but the sign is staying.

Joe Vento is of Italian descent. His grandparents came from Italy. They were proud of their American citizenship and quickly learned English. But now the Commission on Human Relations is taking legal action against Vento, charging him with discrimination simply for asking his customers to speak English.

No business owner should be forced to hire a whole gauntlet of foreign-speaking translators because of individuals who feel they won't learn our language. Individuals who come here need to understand that this country is not Mexico, France, Korea or the Middle East. This is America, and English is spoken here.